Marv Conklin has been turning wood for over ten years. After being a pipe-fitter for 35 years, Marv retired and decided he needed another hobby in addition to fishing. He took one lesson from well-known turner Frank Lynn and was hooked. A few years later, Frank said, “You’ve committed the ultimate sin of becoming better than your teacher.”

Although woodturning is primarily a hobby, Marv’s pens and bottle stoppers have found their way from his Washington home clear across the country to Virginia and many states in-between. People in China, Mexico, Australia, and Holland have received these items as gifts from people in this area.

“The wood knows.” Marv takes pride in making every item unique. Although he’s made several hundred bottle stoppers, no two are exactly alike. Even pens made the same way have differences in wood grain and color.

To make a pen, Marv decides on the style, selects the wood (he uses exotic hardwoods from around the world), cuts it to length, drills an opening for the brass tubing, and glues the tubing inside the wood block. After the glue sets, he makes another cut, mounts the block on the lathe and begins the turning process which involves shaving off the wood, multiple sandings, and polishing with a special Australian shell wax before pen assembly. This process takes several hours. Look at the pictures of Marv’s pens, he hopes you will agree, it’s time well spent.